Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-02-26
WHAT CAME OF IT.


necessary to enable him TO keep up with
his classes, had no ambition TO be at the
head Of any of them, and worked as little
as possible about the house, though love
and consideration for his mother pre-
vented him from ever Sinking his regular
duties, such as milking the COW, cutting
wood and bringing water. But he stared
at her aghast when she proposed that he
should take entire charge Of the garden,
devoting TO it his time before and after
school hours, thus saving the expense OF
hiring help.
"Oh, mother, never could" he said;
''the weeds would be higher than my head
in months time. I'm no hand at q rake
or u hoen
YOU'RE no hand at anything rs far as
/ can see,h said his mother. "There viii
have to be a radical change in you,
Stuart, If You expect ever to win money or
position
81 don't know that care for either, ~
answered Stuart. "I'm not one Of the
pushing kind. A quiet life suits me best. -
And you'll be content TO see all your
friends get ahead of you, suppose"
snow, mother, don't worry''-and Stu
art looked really distressed. "Tn come
out all right, never fear"
"There'li have to be miracle worked,
then, " said Mrs. Willard, signing. "Lazi,
ness is the one fault of your character,
Stuart, and it will keep you down all your
life"
Though averse to eXertion of any kind
Stuart was a fun-loving boy, always ready
for frolic, and not apt to think, until re-
pentance was too late to be of any avail,
of the right or wrong Of the good time.
And he had three particular friends who,
in boy parlance, 'never stuck ut any
thing when there was fun ahead
They all considered old Simon Pfeffer,
the richest man in WestvY1e, fair
game for it was well known that he
hated anything in the shape of boy, and
never spoke to or looked at one, little or
big, without growing like the rough old
bear he was believed to be-
He was an old bachelor, and lived with
q housekeeper and half dozen servants
in handsome house in the suburbs of
the town, and he might have thoroughly
enjoyed his large grounds, fine orchards,
and well bred live stock but for the boys
of the town, who mischievously MIXED
his cows, stole his fruit, flshed in his trout
pond, broke down his fences, left his gates
open, and made themselves generally OBJ
noXious.
The culprits always managed in some
way to escape detection. Well did they
know the terrible example that would be
made of the first boy old Simon caught.
He openly declared that he would show nc
mercy, and would know how to deal with
the offender.
We never know how our most trifline
impulses, If acted upon, may affect the
lives of others. When Ben Hopper stopped
one May evening ct the gate of the little
cottage in which Stuart lived and asked il
he didn't want to go out to the old mill or
the Creek road to hunt squirrels, no intui
ton told him that he was doing something
which was to lead to an event that would
influence all the rest of Stuart's life.
Stuart accepted the invitation, of course
and on their way out of town the boy:
were joined by Tom Halpine and Luke
Wright, who were quite as fond of squire
hunting as were Stuart and Ben.
For at least half mile after leaving the
town the Creek road was bounded on ONT
side by a pasture belonging to Mr.. Pfeffer
and so generously did it abound witt
chestnut, persimmon and crab apple trees
that the boys of the town were familiar
with every rod of it.
But it was not the season now for chest
nuts persimmons or crab apples, and thu
squirrel hunting party would have gone
whistling and shouting by had not hand
some brown horse, quietly grazing thu
short grass, raised his head at sight o
them and whinnied softly.
~ know something we can do sigh
better'n squirrel hunting" said LUX,
Wright, stopping short. "What do you
say to rider"
"I'm in for it." answered Tom Halpine
81 don't believe we'd find any squirrels
anyhow. They're getting so shy the.
don't come round the mill like the.
used to-
The brown horse had probably beer
feeling lonely and was glad of company
for he made no objection whatever whel
Stuart let down q pair of bars, and, goinl
up to him, took hold of his forelock and LEI
him into the road
But he objected very vigorously t,
having four boys On his back at one time
ind kicked and careened around until h
succeeded in Kidding himself of all four o
them.
''We'll have to take turns riding" SAT-
Ben Hopper. each fellow can go as ia
rs the bridge and then turn back"
They had made bride out of rop
Stuart had in his pocket and piece o
wood they picked up on the road, and tn
horse allowed himself to be guided yer,
easily He seemed spirited but yer,
gentle and had evidently been trained t
trot.
The boys acted on Ben's suggestion an
took turns at trying the animals PAGES
enjoying themselves so much that the
were loath to end the sport when it begal
to grow dark.
~ must have one more ride, and then
will be even with the rest of you and w
can go home" said Stuart, as Luke cam
trotting up and swung himself from tn
horses back.
Wouldn't old Simon be in rage If h
should happen along now," said Tom, a
he helped Stuart to mount.
'This is about the best fun he ever fur
nished u.s." laughed Stuart, as he rod
away sand he'll never be any the wise
eithern
He went Gathering up the road at
good pace and the bridge-a rough To-
structure-was reached all too soon.
II guess I'll go a little further" h
thought. There's no telling when II
get another ride and.rd better make tn